Led by Annette Schiller, the Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours took place from Tuesday, September 03, 2019 - Thursday, September 12, 2019. The group comprised 11 wine lovers including Annette and Christian Schiller.
This posting provides an overview. Future postings will focus on specific events of the tour. See the list of postings at the end of the article.
Annette Schiller: Our way of traveling allows wine lovers to fully experience authentic Bordeaux. "Bordeaux" embodies not only "wine": The interplay of wine and food is very important. Therefore our tour has a strong culinary component, with exquisite wine pairing lunches and dinners at the Châteaux playing a daily part of our journey through the Bordeaux wine region. Drawing on our love and deep knowledge of the region and close personal ties to many of the Château owners/ managers/ winemakers, our small group visits many of the hidden gems that other tours pass by, but which are essential to feel what Bordeaux is all about. In a nutshell: this is an on the ground wine class on Bordeaux!
ITINERARY
BORDEAUX 2019: Learning - Exploring – Tasting – Savoring. Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine
10 Days: Tuesday, September 03, 2019 - Thursday, September 12, 2019
Day 0: Monday, September 02
Most of us arrived on the day before the tour started. Annette and I came via plane from Frankfurt. Others took the TGV from Paris.
Arrival in Bordeaux, check-in at Hôtel Hilton Garden Inn.
Hôtel Hilton Garden Inn in Bordeaux is a 4-star brand new (opened in July 2018), modern, comfortable hotel with for French standards spacious rooms overlooking the Garonne river and with a great fitness center in walking distance to the main train station of Bordeaux.
In the evening, Annette and I walked about 30 minutes to the Place Canteloup, 33800 Bordeaux, and had dinner at La Brasserie du Passage Saint-Michel.
Day 1: Tuesday, September 03
12.15 pm We met in the hotel lobby with café and cannellé. Short introduction to the Bordeaux wine region.
12.45 pm Departure at the hotel and drive to Carignan-de-Bordeaux.
01.00 pm Arrival at Maison Ginestet in Bordeaux. Tour of the warehouse and lecture.
This was a fitting introduction to “Bordeaux”. It made our mouth watering of anticipation what was ahead of us by looking at all the cases brimming with wines of the many chateaux we were going to visit.
In Bordeaux, wine merchants have always played a decisive part in the wine world. The buying and selling of wine, the setting of a price of a bottle of wine from a specific chateau for a specific vintage, the entire conduct of business is described as „La Place de Bordeaux“. The wine trade in Bordeaux goes back many centuries to the time when Aquitaine was English. Since then, set rules that appear mysterious to the outsider have been in place.
We visited a Bordeaux lover’s paradise, a prominent wine merchant where millions of bottles of top Bordeaux wines are stored and waiting to be shipped. A stroll through the vast storage rooms feels like being a kid in a candy store. We were introduced to the rules, regulations, and peculiarities of the “Place de Bordeaux“.
Maison Ginestet belongs to the small circle of ‘great Bordeaux wine houses. They sell and ship 15 million bottles of wine to around 70 countries worldwide. Besides being a “négociant” Maison Ginestet produces every day wine from bought fruit; they also own 350 hectar (825 acres!) in eight appellations around France; and they own three classified Châteaux – among them the second growth Gruaud-Larose – where they produce wines of top quality.
We ended the tour with a tasting of 3 older vintages (2012, 2002, 1989) of Château Gruaud Larose, Vin 2nd Grand Cru Classé de Bordeaux en 1855.
04.00 pm Winery tour and tasting at Château Pape-Clément, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves.
Daley Brennan, Business Development Manager, Eastern USA, was our host.
Planted with vines in the 13th century, the Château Pape-Clement is the oldest continuously operating wine estate in the entire Bordeaux region. Its name is derived from one of the heirs of the winery who later became Pope Clement V. and wrote history by moving the papacy to Avignon. Today Château Pape-Clement belongs to the wine imperium of Bernard Magrez, which now covers about 40 estates in Bordeaux and other parts of France as well as in the rest of the world. Château Pape-Clément is classified for its white and red wine according to the 1953 classification of the Graves. The red usually consists of 55% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 45% Merlot and is a full-bodied, presice wine with an incredible intensity. Although I am a true German white wine fan I very much enjoy the Pape-Clément white wine. The blend usually is 55 % Sauvignon-Blanc and 45 % Sémillion. This mediun-bodied wine is fresh, clean and minerally. About 20% of the blend is aged in concrete eggs.
06.30 pm Back at our hotel in Bordeaux.
08.00 pm Dinner at Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux.
The restaurant literally sits on the Garonne river opposite of Bordeaux city center. The view on the illuminated Place de la Bourse is breathtaking and makes you fall in love with Bordeaux right away.
10.15 pm Back at the hotel.
Day 2: Wednesday, September 04
08.45 am Check out of hotel, drop off luggage at the bus. Departure from Bordeaux city and drive to Saint-Émilion.
09.30 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B.
Proprietor Count Stephan von Neipperg was our host.
We tasted 4 wines with Count Stephan von Neipperg, including a La Mondotte 2006.
We met the daughter of Frank John in the cellar. She had just started to work there.
Canon La Gaffelière belongs to the only 18 Premiers Grands Crus Classés châteaux in Saint-Emilion (4 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A and 14 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B). Château Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte –also owned by Count Stephan - were promoted to the extremely competitive circle of Premiers Grands Crus Classés of St. Émilion in the September 6, 2012 blind tasting. Proprietor Count Stephan von Neipperg is a descendant of a German noble line dating back to the Holy Roman Empire. Members of this dynasty always played important roles in European history and politics, and have been making wine since the 12th century. The family still owns a wine estate in the Württemberg region of Germany, where their roots are. In 2011 Stephan von Neipperg switched to ecological viticulture at his Saint-Émilion estates and the mixture of grape varieties cultivated on the Canon-La Gaffelière estate (55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) is rather untypical in comparison to the rest of the appellation. This identity, strongly influenced by Cabernet, gives the Canon La Gaffelière wines a very complex character.
11.45 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Belles-Graves, Appellation Lalande de Pomerol.
Sylvain Garoste, Maître de Chai (Cellar Master), was our host. Owner Xavier Piton greeted us.
Château Belle-Grave is one of the about 7,000 so-called “petits Châteaux” that are outside of the classification system. You can find absolutely fantastic wines from those unknown producers in the range of 5 – 15 Euros.
Château Belle-Grave is a historic domaine that goes back to the 15th century. Since 1938 it belongs to the Theallet family and today it is 3rd generation Xavier Piton who manages the estate. The 42 acres of vineyards vineyard are planted with two different varieties: with 88% and the rest with Cabernet Franc (also called “bouchet” in the area). The vineyards located on the eastern, southern and western slopes around the château have a mixed clay and gravels soil, with huge quantitis of iron oxyd in the subsoil, which gives a typical orange rusty color. Between the château and the road, there is a flat part, very gravely, with mostly flint and quartz, very similar to the famous Pomerol terroir, just across the river Barbanne. To the North, there is sand and silt soil, colder, but still with rich iron oxyd subsoil. The underground consists of thick drainy layers of stone, sand mixed with red clay, and thin but dense slices of pure blue clay. This is perfect for keeping the water and the vines benefit from this during drought periods. Jacques-Yves Cousteau, ecologist, filmmaker, and scientist, was a cousin of Xavier’s father Jean Theallet, Cousteau loved the calm of the chateau and enjoyed getting involved with the harvest. The wines of Belles-Graves have therefore travelled the world on board the Calypso, and indeed continue to do so today aboard the Alcyone accompanying the expeditions of the Equipe Cousteau, the team that continues much of the work Jacques-Yves Cousteau started.
01.30 pm Lunch at restaurant La Table de Catusseau in Pomerol.
A typical French country restaurant in the heart of the famous village of Pomerol.
03.00 pm Winery tour and tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol.
Technical Director Marielle Cazaux was our host.
This is one of the estates belonging to the upper echelon of Pomerol. The beginnings of Château La Conseillante go back to the mid 18th century. Madame Catherine Conseillan was owner and in charge of the estate and gave it its name. She had no heirs and the estate passed to relatives, was sold and bought a couple times and finally found its masters in the Nicolas family. It was Louis Nicolas, owner of a négociant business in Libourne, who purchased Château La Conseillante in 1871. Since then it has been continuously passed on to the next generation of the family and today the 5th generation is at the helm. In 1971 the estate underwent a thorough renovation and it was here that stainless steel, temperature controlled vats for fermentation were introduced. A second major renovation was completed in 2012 and concrete tanks were installed. This estate is relatively small – but typical for the right bank – compared with the châteaux on the left bank. 30 acres of vineyards belong to the château and 80% is planted with Merlot and the rest predominantly with Cabernet Franc. In 2015 a new director came on board, Marielle Cazaux, who studied enology at Bordeaux and was the director at neighboring Chateau Petit-Village before joining the team at La Conseillante.
05.00 pm Check in at hotel Au Logis des Remparts in Saint-Emilion.
Au Logis des Remparts in Saint-Emilion is a very charming, well tended historic, very upscale boutique hotel in the heart of UNESCO world heritage wine town Saint-Emilion with a stunning garden, beautiful views on the vineyards and a gorgeous outdoor pool.
Most of us met later in the day on the main square for drinks. Some of us had dinner there.
Some of us stopped at Chez Pascal, my favorite wine bar in Saint-Émilion, on the way back to the hotel.
Day 3: Thursday, September 05
09.30 am Departure from the hotel.
10.00 am Vineyard tour and tasting at Château Troplong-Mondot, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B.
Château Troplong-Mondot is undergoing a major renovation. Thus, we could not visit the winemaking facilities but instead enjoyed a wonderful vineyard walk and tasting.
Château Troplong-Mondot is one of the most beautiful properties of the appellation. The handsome castle was built in 1745 and it was once part of a sizeable estate that included what today are the Château Pavie vineyards. Since the late 1920s Château Troplong-Mondot was in the hands of the Valette family. In the 1980s it was Christine Valette who managed the estate and brought the quality up to the Premier-Grand-Cru Classé level. Christine Valette passed away in 2014 and in 2017 the property was sold to the French Insurance Company SOCR. They hired Aymeric de Gironde – then managing director at Cos d’Estournet – to become managing director and he started a complete change in the vineyards, in harvesting ideology, and in vinification techniques. The château with 92 acres under vine is one of the largest estates in the Saint-Émilion appellation and sits on the highest point -300 feet- of the plateau east of the village of Saint-Émilion. The soil consists of a deep limestone deposit under layers of thick clay soil.
12.00 am Winery tour at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Appellation Pomerol.
Dany Rolland and General Manager Benoit Prévot were our hosts.
Château Le Bon Pasteur is located at the junction of the famous terroirs of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. It was acquired by the Rolland family around 1920. The grandson of the original owner, Michel Rolland, well known around the world as “flying winemaker” and wine consultant, and his wife Dany, a highly regarded oenologist in her own right created a model vineyard and produce outstanding wines.
01.00 pm Gourmet lunch with wine pairing at Château Le Bon Pasteur.
Dany Rolland and General Manager Benoit Prévot were our hosts.
Chef Frédéric Bozzo prepared a wonderful lunch for us.
03.30 pm Back at Saint-Émilion.
05.45 pm Guided Tour of Saint-Emilion.
An English speaking guide met us at the tourist information and led us on a walking sightseeing tour through the romantic, spectacular medieval town of Saint-Emilion perched on the edge of a limestone plateau. We also visited the underground monuments and the unique monolith church hewn into the rock the town rests on. Saint-Emilion is a UNESCO world heritage site!
Day 4: Friday, September 06
09.40 am Check out of the hotel and departure from Saint-Emilion.
10.00 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Gazin, Appellation Pomerol.
Nicolas de Bailliencourts was our host.
Winemaking on the Château Gazin property dates back to 1772. In 1917 the current owner family, the de Bailliencouts purchased the estate and today it is the 5th generation of the de Bailliencourts, one of the oldest families in France, managing the Château. Château Gazin is quite unique in the Right Bank: the vineyard is a single block of 66 acres – a very large estate for Pomerol standards - on the highest elevation in Pomerol (40.5 meters) which they share with their world-famous neighbor Château Petrus. The Gazin vineyards are planted with 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet-Sauvignon, and 4% Cabernet-Franc. The clay-gravelly subsoil of the Pomerol plateau is the essence of the terroir of Château Gazin.
11.30 am We left the right bank and drove through the rolling hills of the Entre-Deux-Mers wine region to Sauternes.
12.30 pm Vineyard and winery tour at Château Climens, Appellation Barsac-Sauternes,
Première Grand Cru Classé.
Owner and Winemaker Bérénice Lurton was our host.
Château Climens was first mentioned in 1547. Since then only five families called Climens their home, with the Lurton family being the last owner when Lucien Lurton bought the estate in 1971 (The Lurtons are one of Bordeaux's great wine dynasties. With more than 2,500 acres in the region, they are collectively Bordeaux's largest holder of wine-producing land. The family members own more than 20 châteaux and manage several well-known properties.). In 1992 Bérénice Lurton, Lucien Lurton’s youngest daughter took over the reins at Château Climens. The estate sits on the highest point in the Barsac appellation – a bit north of Sauterne- and is surrounded by 75 acres of vineyard. The vineyard is entirely planted with Sémillion -unusual for a Sauterne- that gives the Climens wines its racy complexity and freshness. Bérénice works in the vineyard iaccording to biodynamic principles and in 2011 Château Climens received the biodyvin certification.
01.30 pm Wineparing lunch at Château Climens.
Owner and Winemaker Bérénice Lurton was our host.
Three course lunch prepared by Chef Florence Camaly.
At this luncheon we learned that the ultra sweet Sauternes wines can be the perfect match for all kinds of food. – and not just fois gras and deserts what most people assume.
04.30 pm Arrival in Bordeaux. Check in at Grand Hôtel Français in Bordeaux.
Grand Hôtel Français in Bordeaux is a refinded lodging in an 18th century mansion right in the center of old town Bordeaux, in walking distance to all interesting places with highly comfortable rooms. This hotel is part of the Best Western group.
The evening was free to discover the vibrant city of Bordeaux. What happened was that Annette offered a city tour and everybody came along. It is fascinating to wander through the narrow streets lined with restaurants and wine bars always full to the brim with hungry and thirsty folks.
Day 5: Saturday, September 07
08.30 am Departure and drive to the Entre-Deux-Mers region.
09.30 am Winery tour at Château Reynier, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers.
Marc Lurton was our host, with Agnès Lurton.
Château Reynier together with Château Bouchet and Château Tour de Boisset has 99 acres of vineyards on clay-limestone slopes and is owned and managed by Marc and Agnès Lurton, descendants of a great Bordeaux wine making and wine merchant family. Marc’s grandfather bought the estates in 1901. When Marc – an œnologist trained at Bordeaux University- inherited the estate in 1997 he undertook major improvements : modernization of the wine making facilities, investment in bottling line and labelling equipment, installation of a system to protect the vine from frost in the spring, installation of natural waste water treatment plant, restoration of the underground stone quarries for ageing the wine in oak barrels, replanting the vines to bring them up to date with modern norms, a work that continues until today. In 2012 Marc started working towards organic certification for a part of the vineyard.
Marc Lurton also has extensive experiences as consultant in the wine regions of California. I quote Marc Lurton: „I have drawn on my long experience and savoir-faire to make a range of wines that are attractive and delicious and can be enjoyed on any occasion.”
11.30 am Departure. We crossed the Dordogne river and drove to the Côte de Blaye.
12.45 pm Lunch at Restaurant La Marina in Blaye.
This is a typical village restaurant in the very charming village of Blaye focusing on seafood.
03.00 pm Winery tour and tasting at Château Bel-Air La Royère in Car, Appellation Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux.
Corinne Loriaud was our host.
Château Bel Air La Royère is a brilliant small producer belonging to the so called “petits-châteaux” in the Bordelais. The wines are different in style, character and identity from most other Bordeaux wines. This stems from old Malbec vines of that old high quality low yield clone. In 2003 Xavier and Corinne Loriaud bought the small, rundown Château on the Right Bank of the Gironde estuary in the back yard of Blaye just opposite Pauillac. The château came with a vineyard of 70 year old Malbec vines. The Loriauds did not rip out the vines like so many others, instead they focused on this traditional old Bordeaux grape varietal. With Argentina's great Malbec qualities, and in times of a drastic climate change the grape variety has been attracting renewed attention. Corinne Chevrier-Loriaud, a winemaker in her own rights surrounded herself with women following the departure of her husband in 2009, who went into politics to become a deputy in the Department of the Gironde. To build up and secure her new existence she boldly reduced the vineyard size from 50 to 30 acres and ambitiously continued her work since 2009. Today she belongs to the original and distinctive Bordeaux of a new generation, which has been receiving a tremendous response in the French press.
04.30 pm Drive back to Bordeaux City.
We took a boat ride across the Gironde. We got the ferry in the historic quaint little town of Blaye to go from the left bank to the right bank. It was impressive to actually see and feel the Gironde, this huge body of water so important for the micro-climate of the famous Médoc wine area.
6.00 pm Arrival at Grand Hôtel Français in Bordeaux city.
Day 6: Sunday, September 08
09.00 am Check out of hotel.
We drove to the Bassin d'arcachon. We can now better comprehend how close the Bordeaux wine region is to the Atlantic Ocean and how this proximity to the Gulf Stream and the Atlantic influences the climate and thus the terroir.
10.30 am Arrival in Grand-Piquey, where we visited the Earl Ostrea Chanca oyster farm.
Oyster farmer Ralph Doerflerwas our host, along with his father.
Ralph Doerfler loved the weekend family outings to visit his grandparents at their cabana on the Arcachon Bay when he was a child. It was then that he fell in love with the sandy beaches of the bay, the life style away from the hustle and bustle of Bordeaux city, and the smell and taste of oysters. Growing up he decided to study and learn everything there is to know about oysters.
Ralph showed us how he raises his oysters and guided us through the oyster tasting.
12.00 pm Departure.
12.30 pm Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, with a gorgeous view over the bay, the oyster farms and the village of Arcachon and the Dunes de Pilat, the largest in Europe, in the distance.
03.00 pm Departure from Cap Ferret and drive to Margaux, Médoc.
04.30 pm Winery visit and blending workshop at Château La Tour de Bessan, Appellation Margaux, Cru Bourgeois.
The visit included a blending workshop.
The origins of this property can be found in a 13th century tower situated in Soussans. Today there are only ruins left of this old fortified site. Wine was made at this site for centuries and the vineyards changed hands many times. In 1972 Lucien Lurton bought the tower and vineyards. He invested heavily into vineyards and cellars and brought the Château back on track. Lucien Lorton has since handed over the 11 estates he gradually acquired to his 10 children, including Château La Tour de Bessan to his daughter Marie-Laure in 1992. Marie-Laure Lurton has a winemaking degree and further developed the estate and focused on making top quality wines. She converted to eco friendly vineyard practices and was certified “Terra Vitis” in 2003. In 1999 she renovated an old building dating back to 1934 and constructed a beautiful contemporary building which displays the Château’s dynamic spirit.
06.00 pm Arrival and check-in at hotel Relais de Margaux in Margaux.
Relais de Margaux in Margaux, a 4-star resort, spa, and golf hotel in a former late-19thcentury wine château right in the back yard of the famous Château Margaux.
This hotel complex sits right in the backyard of Château Margaux. It’s vast lawns sprawl up to the wall that surrounds the château grounds. Time to relax, to enjoy the spa, or to take a dip in the large indoor pool.
There is a very nice restaurant on the premises as well as a wine bar with excellent classified Bordeaux wines at a very decent price point.
Day 7: Monday, September 09
08.00 am Check out of hotel and departure.
09.00 am Visit and tasting at Château Lafite-Rothschild, Appellation Pauillac, 1ière Grand Cru Classé.
The Lafite estate is one of the oldest in the Médoc, its first reference as a place comes from the Abbey at Vertheuil (where we pass by tomorrow morning) which was founded during the 11th century. There was a succession of multiple owners, the most important one was Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur (we will hear the name „Ségur“ quite often in the Médoc, it was a very powerful family and during their tenure the reputation and prices of Médoc wines rocketed). In 1855 Napoleon III ordered the classification of the Left Bank and Château Lafite topped the merchant's listing. There were several categories and the estates were ranked in each category. Lafite came out as first growth and among them as number one. In 1866 Baron James Mayer de Rothschild purchased the estate. Some consider this purchase a rivalry with his cousins, who had already purchased Château Brane-Mouton, later to be named Château Mouton-Rothschild. Lafite eventually became Château Lafite-Rothschild.
Difficult years followed: Phyloxera, two world wars, recessions, etc. In 1945 it was Baron Élie Robert de Rothschild who was instrumental in putting Lafite-Rothschild back on track. Next generation Eric de Rothschild and Baroness Philippine of Mouton-Rothschild put aside the rivalry between the two estates and Eric focused instead on modernization, renovation, and vineyard management. Eric appointed Charles Chevallier (with whom we enjoyed a fantastic tasting of older Lafite vintages in Germany) as technical director and estate manager. Charles is due much of the credit for Lafite's renaissance in the 1980s, the estate having endured a string of difficult vintages in the 1960s and 1970s before his arrival. With the changes he made the stage was set for the production of a number of excellent wines through the 1990s and the opening years of the 21st century. In November 2015 Charles decided to step down from his position and to give the baton to Eric Kohler.
Château Lafite-Rothschild is a very large estate with 280 acres under vine. These are planted with 70% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet-Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyards lie on both sides of the D2, the main artery through the Médoc. The vineyards to the north of Château Lafite-Rothschild run right up to the drainage channel carved out by Dutch engineers a few centuries ago, which ist he border between the Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe appellation. There even is a parcel on the „wrong“ side of the appellation just next tot he vineyards of Lafon-Rochet, which we will visit later today.
I quote the „winedoctor“ Chris Kissack: „The grand vin is Château Lafite-Rothschild, which is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (the blend varies considerably, from 57% up to a figure close to 90%, with one or two vintages over 90%, but 81-90% covers most recent vintages), the remainder usually (but not always) comprised of the other three main grapes. The total production of the estate is close to 540,000 bottles per annum, depending on the vintage of course, and with the strict selection typical of modern Bordeaux the grand vin might account for only 40% of this output. The second wine is Carruades de Lafite, which has up to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a greater proportion of Merlot, and this accounts for much of the remaining production.
In order to combat fraud in the wine marketplace, from the 2009 vintage for the grand vin, and from the 2010 vintage for the second wine, Château Lafite-Rothschild has introduced Prooftag’s ‘Bubble Seal’ tag to the bottle and capsule.“
10.45 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé.
Owner Basile Tesseron was our host. His father Michel Tesseron greeted us.
Now we step over the drainage ditch and hop to the Saint-Estèphe appellation. This Château features some of the finest vineyards in the world. It is situated in the small appellation Saint-Estèphe and is sandwiched between two prominent neighbors: Cos-d’Estournel on the other side of the street and Lafite-Rothschild, separated only by a small dirt track, and visible across the vineyard that belongs to Lafon-Rochet. Since the 16th century this Château makes excellent wines and had been in the hands of the Lafon family for almost 300 years. In 1895 the phylloxera disaster forced the family to sell Château Lafon-Rochet. A period of a rapid succession of several disinterested owners followed until Guy Tesseron (who also bought Château Pontet-Canet) acquired the Château in the 1960s. He and then his son Michel brought Lafon-Rochet back to its former glory. The new generation is now at the helm and Basile Tesseron is energetically pursuing quality control. As we just came from Lafite-Rothschild whose vineyard boders the Lafon-Rochet vineyards it was particularly interesting to taste wines from both estates one after the other.
12.30 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Phélan-Ségur, Appellation Saint-Estèphe.
Fabrice Bacquey, Maître de Chai (Winemaker), was our host.
Château Phélan-Ségur is beautifully situated in the village of Saint-Estèphe with a spectacular view over the Gironde estuary. Its origins date way back but the official history of Phélan Ségur began at the end of the 18th century when a young Irish wine broker, Bernard Phelan, settled in Bordeaux, and eventually bought two wine producing estates Clos de Garramey and Château Ségur (previously owned by Nicolas Alexandre de Ségur, nicknamed “Prince of Vines” because of his many properties in the Médoc) which he merged to become Château Phélan-Ségur. In 1810 Bernard Phelan built the magnificent, imposing Château that remains practically unchanged today. In 1985 the estate was acquired by Xavier Gardinier and is now run by his three sons. Château Phélan-Ségur is a fairly large estate with 175 acres of vineyards. The Phélan-Ségur wines are known for their immense complexity which is due to the great diversity of the terroir.
01.30 pm Following the tour we enjoyed a private wine pairing lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur., along with other guests. We were greeted with a Champagne followed by an excellent gourmet meal matched by the fabulous Phélan-Ségur wines.
General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey were our hosts.
03.45 pm Cellar tour and tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Appellation Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé.
Technical Director Jean-René Matignon greeted us.
The history of this estate can be traced back to the late 17th century and matches the history of its twin estate across the street, Pichon Longueville-Comtesse de Lalande until the Pichon estate became divided in 1850 due to inheritance circumstances under the Napoleonic laws. Château Pichon-Baron (for short) stayed in the de Pichon-Longueville family until 1933 when the last surviving family member sold it to Jean Bouteiller, member of a family well-known in the Bordeaux wine scene. His heirs did not manage to keep the quality of the wines and in 1987 the estate was bought by AXA Millésimes, whose goal was to enable great wines from vineyards with a glorious past to achieve their full potential. Total reconstruction of the fermenting room and cellars, and renovation of the château itself, began in 1988. Excellent terroir across from the 1st growth Latour property, stretching south bordering the Léoville estates in Saint-Julien gives the wines elegance, balance, and finesse. The elegance of the wines in combination with the beautiful, graceful Château, which is one of the most stunning ones in the Médoc, make this estate very special.
05.30 pm Arrival and check-in at Hotel/Restaurant Le Vignoble-France et Angleterre in Pauillac.
Hotel Le Vignoble-France et Angleterre in Pauillac is a very well equipped, privately owned 3 star hotel in the heart of the Médoc region, right on the waterfront of the Gironde estuary.
Some of us had a light dinner at Restaurant La Salamandre, next to the hotel.
Day 8: Tuesday, September 10
08.30 am Departure and drive to Vertheuil. Along the route we will again pass the famous Châteaux Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild as well as Cos d’Estournel.
09.00 am Arrival in the village of Vertheuil, where we visited the cooperage Berger & Fils and witnessed the fascinating art of making a “real” barrique.
Berger & Fils is one of thetop notch cooperages in Franc. Only the top gun châteaux order their barrels here. It is a small enterprise, and everyone working there strives to make the best and perfect barrique for the wine to ferment and mature to perfection.
Simon Grelier, the Managing Director, was our host. He explained every single detail to us.
11.00 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc.
Château Sociando-Mallet is a non-classified wine estate. However during the past decade the wines regularly outperform other well-known estates and are regarded as wines of highest quality. The origins of the chateau go back to the year 1633 when the Basque nobleman Sièvre Sociando established his residence at this location. In the mid 19th century the widow Mallet bought the estate and linked the names to create Château Sociando Mallet. Château Sociando Mallet was a forgotten and dilapidated property with only 20 acres of vineyards when Jean Gautreau, a “négociant” from Lesparre bought it. He saw the potential in the fantastic vineyard sites right off the Gironde estuary and quickly expanded and replanted vineyards and brought the winemaking facilities to a state of the art standard. He hired experienced winemakers and pursued to produce only top quality wines. Today Sociando Mallet has 200 acres under vine in the filet pieces of Haut Médoc.
12.45 pm Lunch at Restaurant Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe, right on the banks of the Gironde.
This unassuming, very traditional French restaurant is always packed for lunch, because it is the favorite hangout for the winemakers of the neighboring châteaux. During harvest the pickers of Château Sociando-Mallet and other close by châteaux have lunch here.
03.00 pm Back at our hotel in Pauillac.
04.15 pm Departure.
05.00 pm Winery tour and tasting at Château Le Reysse, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc.
Stefan and Heike Paeffgen were our hosts.
The Medoc sits north of St.-Estèphe, downstream on the Gironde estuary and embraces Pauillac and Saint-Julien to the west. Château Le Reysse was run by Patrick Chaumont, the second generation owner, for several decades. In 2010 Château Le Reysse was bought by Stefan Paeffgen, who holds a Doctorate in agricultural science and who in another life worked in the agriculture industry in his home country Germany and in Scandinavia. He always had a passion for the wines of the Médoc and at age 46, he was at a crossroad and made the decision to go back to practical agriculture. He searched for a winery and finally found this great spot in Bégadan. He now owns four smaller wine estates. Stefan and Heike Paeffgen, who also is an agricultural scientist, are very much in tune with nature and farm the vineyards ecologically. Château Le Reysse is the family's home. Stefan makes stunning wines and his wine of Château Clos du Moulin was awarded the Cru Bourgeois classification.
06.30 pm Following the tour we enjoyed a supper with charcuterie, cheese, baguette, and wine at Château Le Reysse.
Stefan and Heike Paeffgen were our hosts. We were also joined by their 3 children who happened to be there.
09.15 pm Back at our hotel in Pauillac.
Day 9: Wednesday, September 11
08.45 am Check out of hotel, drop off luggage at bus, and departure.
09.00 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième
Grand Cru Classé.
Philippe Blanc, Managing Director, joined us for the tasting.
This historic château is one of the largest properties in Bordeaux with 750 acres of land of which 250 acres are under vine. The château was constructed in 1565 by Bishop François of Foix-Candale and is well-known as the “Versailles of the Médoc” with its beautiful architecture, exquisite interior, and magnificent park. A sequence of illustrious, noble proprietors enlarged the buildings and made the garden into one of the most spectacular in the Bordelais. In 1875 Château Beychevelle was purchased by Armand Heine, the cousin of the famous German poet Heinrich Heine, who is best known outside of Germany for his lyric poetry which was set to music by composers such as Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Since 1986 the property belongs to the Grands Millésimes de France. A huge renovation project was underway for several years and finished in 2016. The new cellars are surrounded by glass walls. The historic Château and the ultra-modern new cellar stand side by side in the beautiful park – the same synthesis of old and new that is reflected in the estate’s philosophy of excellent, terroir-focused winemaking.
11.15 am Winery tour and tasting at Château Desmirail, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé.
Denis Lurton was our host.
This is another Château owned by a member of the Lurton family (the fourth on this tour). Lucien Lurton acquired this property in 1980 and passed it on to his son Denis –a lawyer by profession- in 1992. Before that the château changed hands several times: the château belonged to the Desmirail family until just before the 1855 classification, when it was purchased by Monsieur Sipière, the estate manager at Château Margaux. It was under his ownership that Desmirail was classified as a Troisième Grand Cru Classé. In the early 20s century the property was owned by Robert de Mendelssohn, the nephew of the famous German composer. Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War it came into the ownership of Château Palmer until 1980. Château Desmirail today belongs to one of the „under the radar“ châteaux. I like to show you excellent Bordeaux wines that do not break your wallet like some which are hyped in the international media. Unique to Château Desmirail, they have three vat rooms especially designed to recall various time periods in the history of Desmirail, making the visit even more interesting.
12.15 am Following the winery tour we enjoyed a light lunch with matching Desmirail wines at the château.
02.00 pm Winery tour and tasting at Château Durfort-Vivens, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé.
This Château is owned by Gonzague Lurton, Denis’ older brother. The history of Château Durfort-Vivens stretches back as far as the 14th century, when it was in the hands of the Durfort de Duras family. Throughout the centuries there was a succession of owners. In 1937 Pierre Ginestet (remember: the very first visit of this tour was to Maison Ginestet) bought the Château. He also was the administrator of Château Margaux and for three decades the Durfort-Vivens wines were vinified in Château Margaux and hence they were regarded as being a second wine of Château Margaux. In 1961 the Ginestet family sold most of the Durfort-Vivens estate to Lucien Lurton. Lucien bought the vineyards and the cellars but not the actual Château building. Today the Château building itself across the street is named Château Marojallia and belongs to Philippe Porcheron. In 1992 Lucien gave Château Durfort-Vivens to his son Gonzague Lurton. Shortly after Gonzague took over he moved the wine making back to Durfort-Vivens. He built a new “chai” and installed new wooden and cement fermentation vats, complete with temperature control. In 1999 be began to convert to biodynamic viticulture and in the 2016 vintage the wine was certified biodynamic for the first time. Last year they installed huge amphora and it will be very interesting to hear how this affected the winemaking.
03.30 pm Check in at Hôtel Hilton Garden Inn in Bordeaux city.
06.00 pm Winery tour and tasting at Château Bouscaut, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves.
Sophie Lurton and her husband Laurent Cogombles were our hosts.
Château Bouscaut belongs to the 16 estates classified in the 1953 classification of Graves. As with Château Pape-Clément, Bouscaut is classified for its red and white wine. The history of Château Bouscaut goes back to the 16th century. Today it has 135 acres of vineyards in the commune of Cadaujac which makes it the largest estate in the commune. This big vineyard is essentially one large parcel with an average age of 40 years for the vines. 117.5 acres are planted with red grapes : Cabernet-Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (42%), Malbec (7%), and Petit Verdot (1%). 17.5 acres are designated for the whites : 55% Sauvignon-Blanc and 45% Sémillion. In 1979 Lucien Lurton bought Château Bouscaut and today it is his daughter Sophie - Bérénice’ older sister- who is managing the estate.
7.30 pm We enjoyed a four course wine pairing gourmet dinner in the beautiful private quarters of the Château.
Sophie Lurton and her husband Laurent Cogombles were our hosts.
This exclusive dinner celebration in the private living quarters with Sophie Lurton-Cogombles her husband Laurent Cogomblesand was the perfect finale of our wine and gourmet tour.
10.00 pm Back at hotel in Bordeaux.
Day 10: Thursday, September 13
09.00 am Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France (Published and Forthcoming Postings)
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy
Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics
Tour and Tasting at Maison Ginestet
Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction
How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Pape-Clément, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, with Daley Brennan, Business Development Manager, Eastern USA
An Afternoon at Château Pape-Clément (in 2013), Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux
Dinner at Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux
Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France - An Update
Tour and Tasting at Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, with Proprietor Count Stephan von Neipperg
A Morning at Château Canon La Gaffeliere in Saint Emilion with Owner Count Stefan von Neipperg, Bordeaux
Tour and Tasting at Château Belles-Graves, Appellation Lalande de Pomerol, with Winemaker Sylvain Garoste and Owner Xavier Piton
Lunch at Restaurant La Table de Catusseau in Pomerol
Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with Technical Director Marielle Cazaux
Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with General Manager/ Winemaker Marielle Cazaux - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château Troplong-Mondot, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B
Tour and Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Appellation Pomerol, with Dany Rolland and General Manager Benoit Prévot
Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland, GM Benoit Prévot and Chef Frédéric Bozzo - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Touring Saint-Emilion
Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Gazin, Appellation Pomerol, with Owner Nicolas de Bailliencourts
Tour and Lunch at Château Climens, Appellation Barsac-Sauternes, Première Grand Cru Classé, with Owner and Winemaker Bérénice Lurton
Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Climens, Appellation Barsac-Sauternes, Première Grand Cru Classé, with Owner/ Winemaker Bérénice Lurton and Chef Florence Camaly - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Reynier, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers, with Owners/ Winemakers Marc Lurton and Agnès Lurton
Lunch at Restaurant La Marina in Blaye
Tour and Tasting at Château Bel-Air La Royère, Appellation Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux, with Owner/ Winemaker Corinne Loriaud
An Afternoon with Owner/Winemaker Corinne Chevrier-Loriaud at Chateau Bel Air La Royere in Blaye, Bordeaux, France
Tour and Tasting at Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm, with Oyster Farmer Ralph Doerfler
Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm in Grand Piquey/ Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Restaurants in Arcachon and Cap Ferret (Bassin d'Arcachon/ Bordeaux)
Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret
Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Tour and Blending Workshop at Château La Tour de Bessan, Appellation Margaux, Cru Bourgeois
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Blending Exercise at Château La Tour de Bessan, Margaux, Cru Bourgeois, with Owner/ Winemaker Marie-Laure Lurton - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France
What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France
Tour and Tasting at Château Lafite-Rothschild, Appellation Pauillac, 1ière Grand Cru Classé
Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owners Basile Tesseron and Michel Tesseron
Tour and Tasting (from Barrel and Bottle) at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Grand Cru Classé St-Estèphe, with Owner Basile Tesseron - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2018, France
Tour and Lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey
Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Appellation Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Technical Director Jean-René Matignon
Wine-Pairing Lunch at Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 France
Tour at Cooperage Berger & Fils with Simon Grelier, Managing Director
How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc
Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Tour and Dinner at Château Le Reysse, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc, with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen
Tour, Barrel Tasting and Family Dinner with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen, Château Le Reysse and Château Lassus, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Philippe Blanc, Managing Director
Tour and Tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with General Manager Philippe Blanc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Tour and Lunch at Château Desmirail, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Denis Lurton
Tour and Tasting at Château Durfort-Vivens, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Durfort-Vivens, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Winery Tour and Dinner at Château Bouscaut, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, with Owner Sophie Cogombles-Lurton and her Husband Laurent Cogombles